Liposomal glutathione benefits: is it worth it over standard?

What is glutathione?

Glutathione is an antioxidant your body makes itself from three amino acids: cysteine, glutamate and glycine.

It is found in almost every cell. Your liver makes a lot of it, and it plays a part in neutralising free radicals and in the liver's normal processing of compounds. You can read more on our glutathione ingredient page.

Because the body produces its own supply, the question is not whether you need glutathione. The question is whether taking it by mouth makes any measurable difference, and whether the form you take matters.

Why was oral glutathione thought not to work?

Early research suggested that swallowed glutathione is mostly broken down in the gut before it reaches the blood.

In a 1992 study, seven healthy volunteers took a single dose of around 3 g of glutathione. Their blood levels of glutathione did not rise significantly over the following four and a half hours. The researchers concluded that enzymes in the gut and liver split glutathione into its building blocks before it could circulate (Witschi and colleagues, 1992).

That single-dose study shaped opinion for decades. Later researchers pointed out that it measured blood plasma only, and over a few hours, so it may have missed slower changes inside cells.

What do newer trials on standard glutathione show?

A longer trial found that daily standard glutathione can raise the body's glutathione stores over several months.

In a six-month randomised, placebo-controlled trial, 54 healthy non-smoking adults took 250 mg or 1,000 mg of glutathione a day. At six months, the higher-dose group had increases of around 30 to 35% in glutathione in red blood cells, plasma and lymphocytes. Most of these increases faded within a month of stopping (Richie and colleagues, 2015).

Not every study agrees. A four-week trial of 500 mg twice a day found no significant change in glutathione status or oxidative stress markers in healthy adults (Allen and Bradley, 2011). The shorter time frame may explain part of the difference.

What is liposomal glutathione?

Liposomal glutathione is glutathione enclosed in liposomes, tiny bubbles made from phospholipids such as phosphatidylcholine.

Phospholipids are the same type of fat that makes up cell walls. The idea is that the liposome shell helps protect the glutathione as it passes through digestion. Our liposomes use phosphatidylcholine from non-GMO sunflower lecithin.

What does the research say about liposomal glutathione?

One small pilot study suggests liposomal glutathione can raise body glutathione within weeks, but it needs confirming in larger trials.

In this one-month study, 12 healthy adults took 500 mg or 1,000 mg of liposomal glutathione a day. Glutathione levels rose within one week. By two weeks, the researchers reported increases of around 40% in whole blood, 28% in plasma and 100% in a type of white blood cell. Some markers of oxidative stress and immune function also changed (Sinha and colleagues, 2018).

This is encouraging, but 12 people over one month is a very small study. It did not include a standard glutathione group, so it cannot tell us that liposomal is better.

Liposomal vs standard at a glance

	Standard oral glutathione	Liposomal glutathione
Key human study	Richie 2015: 54 adults, 6 months	Sinha 2018: 12 adults, 1 month
Daily amounts studied	250 mg and 1,000 mg	500 mg and 1,000 mg
When levels rose	Measured over months	Within 1 to 2 weeks
Strength of evidence	Larger and longer, but mixed results across studies	Promising but small, short and early

So is liposomal glutathione worth it?

Liposomal glutathione is a reasonable choice if you want a form designed to protect glutathione through digestion, but it is not proven to be superior.

Here is a fair way to weigh it up:

• Speed: the liposomal pilot saw changes within weeks, while the standard trial measured change over months. These were different studies, so the comparison is only loose.
• Format: liposomal products are often liquids, which some people find easier than capsules.
• Cost: liposomal products usually cost more per dose.
• Evidence: both forms rest on a small number of trials in healthy adults. Neither has been shown to prevent or treat any illness.

Another route is to support your body's own production. NAC (N-acetyl cysteine) is a stable form of cysteine, one of the building blocks the body uses to make glutathione.

Is glutathione safe?

Oral glutathione has been well tolerated in short studies of healthy adults, though there is little long-term data.

• Reported side effects are mostly digestive, such as wind or loose stools.
• There is not enough safety evidence for pregnancy or breastfeeding, so it is best avoided at these times.
• Inhaled glutathione has been linked to breathing symptoms in people with asthma. That evidence relates to nebulised use, not capsules or liquids, but if you have asthma it is sensible to check first.
• If you take regular medication, have a long-term condition or are having cancer treatment, speak to your GP or pharmacist before you start.

How do you take liposomal glutathione?

Follow the dose on your product label, and take it at a consistent time each day.

The human studies used daily amounts between 250 mg and 1,000 mg. Liposomal liquids are usually taken on their own or stirred into a small amount of water. Taking it the same way each day makes it easier to judge whether it suits you.

Where to start

If you would like to try a liposomal form, our Liposomal Glutathione combines glutathione with a sunflower phosphatidylcholine liposome. Some people pair it with NAC to support the body's own supply, or choose the Glutathione and Liposomal Curcumin pairing. You can browse related options in our liver support collection.

Whichever you choose, give it a consistent few weeks, keep the basics of sleep, diet and alcohol in check, and talk to a health professional if you have any doubts.